To mark Bloomsday, which celebrates James Joyce's "Ulysses," his characters will speak in Latin and vulgarities and the plural of "yes" at a live reading of the landmark book at 8 p.m. at Galway Arms, a pub and restaurant at Clark & Fullerton streets.

Ten leading local actors and writers will take turns reading from the work, which attempts to re-create the Dublin, Ireland of June 16, 1904.

Readings of the 450-page book have become a tradition around the world and can take 36 hours, but this is an abridged version which aims to tell the story arc through narration and excerpts in a breezy 2½ hours.

Dave Gecic, publisher of Puddin'head Press, which sponsors the event, said the book was groundbreaking in its use of stream-of-consciousness, changing formats, and multiple perspectives. It has influenced many later works, he said, including recent fare like "Pulp Fiction."